Water purifier



Aug. 14, 1928.

J. B; GAIL ET AL WATER PURIFIER 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 1.1, 1:921

6 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. B. GAIL ET AL WATER PURIFIER Aug. 14, 1928.

Aug. 14, 1928. 1,680,867

J- B. GAIL ET AL WATER PURIFIER Filed April 11, 1921 6 sheetksheet 3 Aug. 14. 1928.

J. B. GAIL'EI' AL WATER PUHIFIER 7 Filed April 11. 1921 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 14, 1928.

J. B.-GA1L ET AL WATER PURIFI'ER Filed April 11, 1921 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 14. 1928.

J. B. GAIL ET AL WATER PURIFIER Filed April 11, 1921 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 dzwju reagents.

Patented 14, 1928. I

UNITED STATES -PATENT OFFICE.

JEA N-BA PTISTE GAIL AND N031 AD, OI PARIS, FRANCE.

. QFA'I'IB PURII'IEB.

Application filed April 11, 1981, Serial Io. 460,588, and in France April 15, 1980.

This invention has for its object to provide an improved water purifier for carrying into practical effect the known Water purifying process comprising the use of lime water with or without the addition of other In the case of river water or Well water intended for feedin boilers or even for domestic purposes, car nate of soda is usually employed as a second reagent. In the case of industrial waste liquors, or waters, sewa e and drain .water in general, there is usual y employed to ether with'the lime water, aluminium sulp ate or'ferric sulphate, or even iron perchloride. All existing lants employed forcarrying'into effect t e process above referred to, comprise moving mechanical parts serving either for the reception of the crude waterand for distributing it to the different parts of the apparatus, or for agitating the mud in the decanting apparatus.

The improved automatic apparatus forming the subject matter of the present Invention comprises, on the contrary, nomechanical agitating device whatever and therefore is .Fig. 1 is a front elevation altogether stronger and simpler than former devices.

The improved purifier provides for preparing the rea ent (for instance lime and soda) for regu ating the discharge of the water to be purified and of the reagents, and finally of decanting the purified water.

For the purpose of facilitating the description of the improved apparatus, reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

ratus. as a whole.

Fig. 2 is an elevation corresponding to Fig. 1 taken at an angle 90 relatively to the latter.

Fig. 2" is a detail on an enlarged scale ofapartofFi.2.

Fig. 3 is a plan corresponding to Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the device for saturating water,..with lime.

Fig. 5 is a verticalsection corresponding to Fig. '1, assumed td be turned through90 to the right.

.Fig. 6 is a plan corresponding, to Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a detailed view'drawn-to a larger above the plate 24 which carries them,and-

whose diameter'is approximately equal to scale, of the feeding siphon tank.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the decanting device. v

of the appa construction of the improved apparatus. In

this modification the saturator has been lodged inside the decanter above'which distributing parts are brought together.

Fig. 11 is' a detail on an enlarged scale of onetsof the diaphragms and its associated par 1 x The apparatus according to the present invention (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 8) comprises 'a cylindrical decantation apparatus 16 receiving firstly the crude water to be purified which is supplied by means of a tank provided'with feed regulating devices, and secondly the milk of lime supplied by a saturating apparatus 1. -.There is also rovided an auxiliary tank 30 for the intro uctioin of a certain quantity of carbonate of. so a.-

ly described.

The decanting vessel comprises a c lindrical vessel 16 combined with a tan 17 which receives the water to be purified that is supplied by the pipe 43 communicating with t e distributing tank 35.

The tank 17 contains a siphon apparatus which is identical with the one contained in the tank 11 of the saturator shown in Figure 7 and operates in the same manner, that is to sa it em ties the tank 17 at each period of wor ing, t e liquid discharging through the pipe 19.

As shown'in Figure 7 the siphon com prises an exterior tube 12 in open communi-.

,cation at the bottom with a tank 11, and

closedo at the top, and in this first tube another vertical tube 10' is positioned, open at its top adjacent, the upper end of the outer tube, and having its lower end in communication with atmosphere below said tank.

' The central portion 20', Fig. 8, of the I false bottom 20 is not perforated and supports a bell 22 intowhich the lower part of the pipe 19 opens. .This bell carries at its upperpart mixing tubes 23 whose ends open that ofthe b'ell 22. his plate and the bell 48 to the point of consumption.

are surrounded by a tube 25 which opens close to the, false bottom 20 and extends through the entire height of the apparatus.

The reagents such as the lime water and the solution of carbonate of soda, or any other reagents that are necessary in view of the composition of the water to be purified, are conveyed to the pipe 19 by way of the pipes 15 and 26.

Near its upper part the decanting vessel 16 is provided with a filter 28 arranged between two perforated plates 28 and 28" above which is situated the exit 29 leading to the chamber 40.

The purified water is discharged by way of the auxiliary chamber 40 and outlet pipe The discharge of the water is regulated as follows:

At the upper part of the apparatus is disposed a small vessel 35, mounted upon two light cast iron supports; and water is supplied thereto by means of the piping 36 and the valve 37, which is controlled by a float 38 disposed in the vessel and regulating the inflow according to needs.

A second float 39 disposed in.the discharge tank 40 for the purified water also acts upon the valve 37, by means of the guided rod 41, when the output required of the apparatus is below its normal rate of discharge.

'When the water level rises in the discharge chamber 40 the float 39 is raised, the rod 41 which carries an abutment 41 transmits the movement of the float by means of the stem 37 terminating in the form of a fork 37 to the valve 37 by which the delivery is thus automatically regulated.

The output of water to be purified is regulated by means of an orifice pierced in a brass diaphragm 42 located at the bottom of the tank 35. The pressure which is maintained constant in this tank remains invariable upon the said orifice which, being predetermined, furnishes a constant outflow. This water to be purified flows off through a pipe 43 on its way to the decanting device hereinafter described.

The water which is to be converted into lime water flows out through the orifice 44 and passes through the pi )e 45 into the siphon tank hereinbefore re erred to. This orifice 44 is arranged like the orifice 42 and it is determined in such a manner as to allow under the same pressure as the latter the outflow of the volume of lime water that is necessary for the purification of the water supplied by the said orifice 42.

The quantity of lime. water flowing out through the ipe 15 in order to be mixed with the cm e water treated in the decanting device 16, is always equal to the flow through the ipe 45.

46 is a t 'rd orifice likewise arranged at the bottom of the tank 35, andainder the same head as that on the orifices 42 and 44,

tube 10.

which always allows of the flow of a very small quantity of water equal to the quantity of the solution of carbonate of soda from the tank 30 that is to'be mixed with the water to be purified.

This flow passes to the tank 30 through a pipe 47, and displaces an equal volume of the solution contained in the said tank, which volume passes to the decanting device 16.

The saturating device, which is shown in detail in Figs. 5, (l and 7, comprises a vertical cylindrical reservoir 1 enclosing an internal central tube 2 the lower part 3 of which is preferably of flarin shape. The bottom 4 of the cylinder 1 is o? conical shu e and communicates at this part with the tulle 2. This bottom 4 is further fitted with a cock 5 by means of which the saturator 1 can be emptied. This cock may be replaced by a i'alve fitted at the apex of the conical bottom.

On the upper part of the saturator 1 there is located a round tank 6 furnished at its centre with a perforated vertical tube 7 communicating by a duct 8 with the central tube 2 of the saturator.

- A bottom plug 9 is provided in the lower part of the perforated tube 7 at the entrance of the duct 8.

A vertical tube 10 located in the axis of the saturator has its lower end opening close to the bottom of the latter. At its upper part this tube rises up to the level of a .tank 11, inside of which there is provided a siphon 12' which discharges through the As will be seen from the description, the water for feeding reservoir 11 flows through pipe 45 the outlet of which is above that of the siphon 12. As a result of this, the siphon when operatin", empties the reservoir 11, upon which it ecomes inoperative and permits entrance of air into the tube 10, and the siphon only comes into operation again when the water level in reservoir 11 reaches the level of the top of the siphon.

The saturator is fed with water from this siphon tank 11 as hereinafter set forth.

The operation of the apparatus thus constructed is as follows:

The lime which hasbeen slaked in the tank 6 that is fed with water through the pipe 6', passes out in the form of milk of lime through the duct8 which conveys it to the tube 2. It has a', tendency to sink to the bottom of the saturator through-the conical portion 4 of the tube 2 but it is maintained at this space by the current of water coming from the siphon 12.

The intermittent inflow of this water which takes place at very short intervals effects an agitation of the milk of lime in this part of the apparatus and this agitation is further intensified by the eddies caused by till upper part, thereby the water.

Finally, after the siphon has been stopped, and the discharge of the tube-1O has ceased, there takes lace a sudden inrush'of water charged wit lime into the lower part of this tube, thus producing violent eddying. In this manner,

is effected an energetic and regular stirring of the particles of ime in the water, thereby efiecting the saturation.

It is, b that the Jiflerent actions'that contribute for eifecting the aforesaid agitation take place exclusively in the interior space of the tube 2 and in its flaring lower portion, leaving at rest the annular space comprised between the cylinder 1 of the tube 2.

The saturated water then passes under the tube 2 and enters the aforesaid annular space inthe interior of which it rises slowly in the direction indicated by the arro s. It thus becomes freed gradually by sett ement from the caustic lime which it has carried over in excess and in suspension, as well as from the carbonate of lime formed by the mixture of the lime and the water or con-' tamed 1n the lime as animpurity.

The lime water'thus arrives in a clear and completely saturated state at the upper part of the tube I where it flows over into a tray 14 from which it flows off through a tube 15 on its way to the decanting device as hereinafter described.

While a certain quantity of lime is used for saturating the water in the improved apparatus, another quantity remains in the tank 6 where it becomesslaked so that it is ready for use when the first quantity has been completely used up. By this means stones and unslaked portions of lime are prevented from reaching the lower part'of the apparatus.

The preparation of the second reagent,

which may be, for instance, carbonate of lime, is effected in the followin manner:

The carbonate of soda is issolved in a tank 30 (Figs. 1 and 2) so as to produce a more or less concentrated solution.

To repare this solution, a certain quantity 0 liquid iswithdrawn by means of the lower cook 31 'from the tank 30 and into the latter there is introduced the necessary addition of carbonate of soda for a 12-hours working. 7 I

This solution is poured into the tank 30 by y these three means, there the way, important to note here 1 way of the upper funnel 32 and the cock 33. By three or four times withdrawing a little of the contents through the cook 31 and pouring it back again through the funnel 32 and the cock 33, a uniform solution is very soon produced. A small air cockwill facilitate this operation. y v

In apparatus of large size there is provided below the tank 30 a semi-rotary pump 34 which allows, by means of suitable piping, oi rapidly mixing by a few strokes of the pump the contents of the soda tank, after the necessary quantity of soda has been poured into it, and of convertin the said contents into a perfectly uniform liquid havin the desired degree of concentration.

The operation of the decantation appa ratus properly so called is. as follows:.

The siphon of the tank 17 assures at regular and frequent intervals the admission into the bell 22 of the water to be purified which drives out the air contained in the column 19 below the tank 17 and carries with it the reagents brought by the pipes 15 and 26. a

, These various elements are agitated energetically under the bell 22 in which the triple agitation takes place in the conditions hereinbefore referred to in connection with the saturator.

' The water thus agitated rises through the tubes 23 in which the agitation is continued.

This water then falls back between the tubes 23 and the wall 25 so as to pass under the said Wall at the bottom of the decanting vessel and then riseover the whole cross sectional area of the latter. Reactions are thus assured in a very rapid manner and initiated in the liquid by the action of the reagents, and this agitation gives rise to a contact action having for its result a very rapid agglomeration of the precipitate and the immediate separation of the latter from the containing liquid.

Under these conditions as the liquid issues from the lower end of the tube 25 and enters the decanting vessel, the precipitate that has already collected, remains near the false bottom u n which it settles, while the water rises t rough out' its cross sectional area, passes u issues in a purified state from the pipe 29.

The improved purifier utilizes in the whole decanting operation two import-ant phenomena, namely:.first, the agitation of the water in the presence of air bubbles,

whereby the reactions are promoted and intensified and second, the contact action of th through the filter 28, and l formedprecipitate upon the precipitate that is in course of. formation, whereby an immediate agglomeration is assured.

The air escapes from the upper part of the apparatus, whereas the water issuing clear and purified from the pipe-29, overflows into the tank whence it is led by the pipe 48 to the point of consumption.

The deposits of lime carbonate formed in the saturator are discharged through the dis charge valve 5. The deposits produced by the )recipitat-ion in the deca-ntin r vessel, and retained on tlie false bottom of t 1e latter, are flushed away by opening thevalve 21 full once a day; since the total section of the apertures of the perforated false bottom is equal tothat of the valve 21, a current will be produced between these apertures and the discharges which will carry off the deposits and flush out the bottom, thus keeping the decanting vessel in a state of cleanliness. The emptying of the saturator should take lace after'24 hours working, and should performed while theapparatus is in operation. .It should be followed by the introduction of the slaked lime.

In the constructional modification illustrated in Fig. 10, the bottom 20* of the de-' canting vessel is solid and has a conical shape. The flush is produced by means of a slide valve or lift valve 21 provided in the apex of the cone. The imperforate surface 20' employed in the first hereindescribed constructional form at the middle of the p'erforated flat bottom 20 is replaced by a conical tra '20" coaxial with the decanting vessel. T is tray has for its object to assure the maintenance of a permanent reserve of mud intended to ensure by emulsion the contactaction hereinbeforeireferred to.

If this tray were not provided, a reserve of mud would no doubt be formed butthis reserve could not be permanent, since it would necessarily be carried away by the flushings.

The operation of the plant lows:

The raw water flows in a continuous manner into the tank 35. It is thence circulated,

is as folthrough the diaphragms 42, 44 and 46' 0 suitable diameter as above disclosed and through the conduits 43, and 47 respec-' tively into decantation ap aratus 16 the lime water saturating device 1, and the tank containing carbonate of soda or like agent.

The raw water is ,supplied to the decan tation apparatus 16 and the saturating device 1 in an intermittent manner and in' the form of a violent flush, thus drawing forward the air in the form of an emulsion, due to thesiphon devices which are disposed at the top of the said apparatus. At each operationpf the siphon of the saturating device, a fresh quantity of lime water is admitted into the decantation apparatus,

through the conduit 15. Further, the solution of carbonate of soda or other agent is supplied in a continuous manner to the de cantation apparatus at a rate which corresponds to the rate of supply of the raw water through the conduit 47, by a simple displacement. t

The water which is purified in the decantation apparatus as above disclosed is circulated through the upper part of the decantation apparatus into the tank 40, from which it is supplied to the places at which the water is utilized.-

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A water purifier for efl'ectin a water purification process with the use 0 lime water and another reagent such as carbonate of soda, comprising in combination, a crude water supply tank, a saturator in which the lime water is prepared, a tank in which the carbonate of soda or other reagent is prepared and a decanting device into which the prepared contents of said saturator and caronate of soda tank are discharged, conduits connecting said crude water supply tank, said crude water'sup 1y tank havm orifices controlling said conduits, said 0 ces having each an interchangeable inlet ermitting the delivery of such quantities 0? water to said several receptacles in the same time, that the quantity delivered to the saturator and carbonate of soda tank will be just suflicient for the preparation of the proper quantity of the reagents to purify the 'uantity of crude water delivered to sai decanting device, said saturator comprising a feeding siphon device, a receiver for receiving periodically a determined quantity of water for conversion into lime water, the irequency of said periods and the amount received at each period being determined by the operation ofsaid siphon device, the lat tor-being located above the saturator and being constructed to entrain a column of air between the successive 'li uid columns delivered by said siphon, sai column of air being carried to the bottom of the saturator by the flow of liquid through said si hon, traversing the lime in said saturator an prodncing the turbulence required for efiecting the saturation of the water with the lime, said purifier comprising also a lime tank, a central tube located in the saturator and opening near the bottom of the lime saturator, sa1d tube communicatin with thelime tank, each charge of lime ing slaked in said tank during the utilization of the precedin charge in the .saturator, an annular tray ocated at the upper part of said tube for receiving the saturated water, and a surrounded by a tube tube leadin to the decanting device for car"- rying otf t e saturated water.

2. A water purifier for eflfecting a water purification process with the use 0 lime water' and another reagent such as carbonate of soda, comprising intermit ently operating lime water saturator and in each of which the necessary agitation is produced solely by the action of violent and intermittent injections of li uid entrained air, a siphon device provide adjacent the upper end of the said saturator and decanting device, respectively, for entraining the air, a vertical tube ositioned in the decanting device, in whic tube occurs the agitation by the entrained air, the tube forming a separate zone in the liquid'in said decanting device, the latter comprising a vessel, a perforated false bottom in said vessel, and a reaction bell resting one. solid central part of said false bottom, a tube opening into the interior of the vessel for receivin the rea nts and the ,water to be vi cf the said siphon device located adjacent said reaction bell being surmounted by emulsifying tubes, a circular plate supportingv the emulsifying tubes, the tubes extend ing for a determined height and opening above the circular plate, the combined reaction bell, emulsifying tubes andplate being opening near the false bottom and extending through the entire height of the device, the upper part of the last said vessel comprising a filter, an outlet gipe feeding an overflow vessel, the puried water escapin through the outlet pipe.

3. A water purifier for effecting purification process with the use 0 a water hme water and another reagent, such as carbonate ecantlng devices urlfied and 10b is distributed to it by t e operation and a decantlng device in each of which the necessary agitation is produced solely by the action of v olent and intermittent injections of liquid entrained air, a siphon device provided adjacent the upper end of the said saturator anddecanting device, respectively, for entraining the air, a vertical tube positioned in the decanting device, in which tube occurs the agitation by the entrained air, the tube forming a separate zone in the liquid in the decanting device from the zone where the decanting takes lace, comprisin a device for regulating a ow of water an the reagents comprisin a supply-tank for receiving the water to dye purified, a valve for controlling the inflow of water to be purified to said tank according to the output of the purifier, said valve being operated by a float located, in said tank andbeing also operated when the output of the purifier is less than the normal output, b

a float located ,in an overflow vessel wit three orifices which respectively assure a constant inflow of water to be purified on its way to the decanting device, a constant inflow of the water to. be converted into lime water in the saturator, and a constant inflow of the water whose inflow into the tank containing a solution of said second reagent, causing a displacement of an equal volume of the solution of this reagent deliver the latter volume into said decanting device, the ressure'upon the three diaphragms always g the same, whereby to assure the constancy of their outflows.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names. I 

